1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for controlling the flow of liquids from containers and, more particularly, is concerned with a venting and flow control closure device having a repeating vented fracture pattern for a dispensing opening of a liquid container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent decades, automobile engine compartments have become increasingly more compact due largely to many of the automobiles themselves becoming more compact with the goal being to improve on aerodynamic characteristics and thereby to improve on fuel efficiency of the vehicle. This reduction in engine compartment size has eliminated nearly all of the previously available space around the engine oil filler opening, which has made it difficult for many automobile users to lower a container of motor oil to a normal pouring position without a considerable amount of oil spillage taking place on the engine around the oil filler opening. The spilled oil may then become an environmental hazard and undesirable waste.
While the oil industry has made some changes in the shapes of the oil containers such as longer filler necks and moving the neck from the center to one side of the container, none of these improvements have significantly prevented oil from spilling as the uncapped container is inverted to be placed over the oil filler opening. As a result, a variety of devices have been proposed over the years to address this problem of oil spillage under the hood of automobiles. Representative examples of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,382 to Von Holdt, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,696,328 and 5,044,531 to Rhodes, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,571 to Crecelius et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,390 to Markva, U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,857 to Russell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,570 to Dubow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,714 to Merhar and U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,058 to Spektor et al.
These prior art devices generally provide either an improved valve structure on the filler neck of the liquid container or a seal covering the dispensing opening which can be ruptured by a pull tab or another like means or by squeezing opposite sides of the container to release the container's contents. Of the prior art devices, only the patents to Markva and to Russell appear to disclose a seal having a fracture pattern therein. The Markva patent in particular provides perforations for initiating fracture of the seal, but fails to recognize the need to equalize pressure within the liquid container to the atmospheric pressure prior to use. These pressures imposed by changes of altitude, temperature or barometric condition may exceed the actuating pressure.
The inventor herein is first to recognize that a fracture pattern on the seal has a dual function. First, it permits automatic adjustment of the internal pressure of the container to the atmospheric pressure by allowing air to be exchanged through holes cut therein. Second, it retains the integrity of the seal by allowing liquid stored in the container to pass through the holes only at a rate which provides sufficient time for a user to place an uncapped inverted container over a filler opening for reception of the container's contents before drops of the liquid begin to seep out through the perforations of the fracture pattern. The seal may then be ruptured by the user squeezing the opposite sides of the container and thereby forcing liquid through the fracture pattern. The force generated by the user squeezing on the container is approximately 0.2 psi. Therefore, the vent fracture system parts must be highly accurate in the controlling function.
A problem generally exists, however, with the prior art fracture patterns in that they are normally discrete and therefore appear to require considerable centering control in the process of installation of the seal onto a rim encircling a container dispensing opening. This centering control requirement seems to unnecessarily add to the complexity and the costs of the seal installation process. The inventor herein has provided a solution to the aforementioned problem which further retains the dual functions of the fracture pattern.
Consequently, a need still exists for a device which overcomes the aforementioned problems in the prior art devices without introducing any new problems in their place.